Orlando City in advanced talks with Kaka to become Orlando City’s first DP

Orlando City Soccer Club’s long courtship of Brazilian midfielder Kaka looks to have finally succeeded.

(UPDATE: Orlando City released a statement on Friday morning, saying, “Orlando City Soccer Club is in advanced discussions with Kaka. Pending completion of the potential player agreement, Kaka would join Orlando City SC in January 2015 prior to the Club’s first season in Major League Soccer.”)

News of the Kaka move was first revealed by a tweet from ESPN’s Taylor Twellman, which claimed Orlando City and Major League Soccer have signed Kaka to a Designated Player contract, where he’ll begin playing in the 2015 MLS season. However, with Orlando City still more than seven months away from opening their first MLS training camp, the club will loan Kaka to his former club Sao Paulo FC until 2015.

The Orlando Sentinel confirmed the initial report on Thursday evening, claiming knowledge from an MLS source with direct knowledge of the agreement.

As soon as the Serie A season ended, transfer speculation intensified that Kaka would go to either Orlando City or back home in Brazil.

If the report is true, it would be another big step for MLS in attracting talented attacking players to come to the league, and it would allow Kaka to play both in Brazil for a short while and keep his fitness up before beginning his MLS tenure.

The Orlando Sentinel report also says that Kaka triggered an opt-out clause after Milan failed to qualify for a place in European competitions.

Though there’s no indication that a formal announcement is forthcoming, it could come as early as Friday. Sao Paulo are currently in Orlando during the Brazilian league’s World Cup break and are set to face OCSC in a friendly match.

The man likely credited for making this possible is Orlando City majority owner Flavio Augusto da Silva. Da Silva is a close friend of Kaka’s and has had the former Brazilian National Team star over to Orlando to train during the offseason on multiple occasions.

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What do you think of this report? Excited to see Kaka possibly come to MLS? Do you believe he’ll be able to fit into the league’s physical style? Do you expect big things from Kaka?

36 Responses to Orlando City in advanced talks with Kaka to become Orlando City’s first DP

Except Cahill is playing internationally in this tournament and scoring goals, while the other is watching. Kind of like, Villa’s not playing either, although that could be an ambivalent thing considering how poorly Spain has shown.

True but getting into the Brazil squad isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Overall, it’s a solid signing though the Villa signing is arguably “better.” That doesn’t matter though, they’re both good signings for the league.

On players from Spain or certain other countries/leagues, the softness of the player moving to MLS can be a concern. The Dynamo signed a Spanish player a few years back who had nice touch but was out of shape and not ready to be crunched. He lasted a month or two. But Kaka started in Brazil…..they foul people in the tunnel coming out.

They’d do well to play Kaka as a pure 10 and put somebody behind him who can do the dirty work behind him…honestly, if I’m Orlando, I’d stare hard at Jermaine Jones. He’s not making a ton of money, apparently, and is looking for that last contract.

Grab another forward as your last DP and you’ve got one heckuva spine for your team. Heck, maybe even make a run at Altidore; he’s got Florida ties.

We knew this was coming, the scoop is that he is out of ACM and the precise way he’s being signed and loaned.

MLS is single entity and I assume Twellman wants to keep his contacts, so I’m sure this leak is officially blessed and handed to TT. It is news but it is also effectively marketing. Now the buzz starts, I’m sure ESPN will work this into the telecasts.

Why? MLS can’t get top players in their prime yet, though that day is coming, but they can get them closer to their prime, as the Kaka signing shows. Ronaldinho is the kind of player MLS would’ve signed five years ago. Now they can do better.

You know, if Otto von Klinsmarck thinks MLS is such a POS league, then why do such players as Kaka, Henry, Villa, Cahill and Keane (for starters), find it attractive and (for those who have been here for awhile) succeed here? Granted, the market in Europe for some of these players has fallen (in some cases, dramatically). But they’re coming here and not going to Australia or the Middle East.